Letters to the editor

Published: July 10, 2012 4:00AM

Being economically profiled

Editor:

I'm a victim of economic profiling. Church groups come to our street in the south end of town and try to hand out things like eggs, shampoo, toothpaste, and various other things that those of us with any amount of pride wouldn't be caught dead accepting. I intercepted a group of women on their mission one day. I asked if they made offerings in the North end of town. "Why no" they explained, "We give them to the people down here who really need them."

I have news for these women. I'm not here because I'm poor. I'm here because I have a wooded 1.03 acre corner lot. Because I didn't want to spend every extra penny I made paying off my house. And because I don't want to be steeped in debt. I like it here. I'm convinced life is about sinking, swimming, or winning the race. I swim and am content to be doing so. I'm neither rich nor poor. If my neighbor offers me a cup of coffee, I don't want them handing it over from their kitchen window into mine. That's why I'm here. It's not because of a poverty situation. I have no credit card debt and most always have some jingle in my pocket. If not, it's in the bank. I ask for nor accept anything I didn't earn. Not now. Never have. Never will.

Don't take me wrong. Your urge to help the needy isn't a bad thing. It's just that a lot of people that you're helping refuse to help themselves and never will, and you as givers just don't see it. Try putting job applications in your bags of goodies for voluntary completion. Include a stamped self addressed envelope and a note stating that you as good Samaritans will deliver them to prospective employers. Sit tight and see how many you get back. The food give away groups could try this also.

I tell these people to stay away from my house. I take what they're doing as an insult. To use a non-word that my daughter, who by the way has the intestinal fortitude to make her own way in life coined, we are a proudful family. We want nothing. Don't try to give us anything. If we want or need something we'll get it on our own.

Tom Jankowski

Wooster

Family's pet cat shot deliberately

Editor:

To: The groundhog hunter who deliberately shot my loving family cat on June 20 around 6 p.m. It happened in a cleared hayfield adjoining my property on 4229 Centerville Road, Shreve -- 50 yards from me.

The culprit headed N.E. of my house shooting as he disappeared from sight. It was a senseless, needless and cruel act by a coward. Seeing my cat's empty bed, feeding bowl and toys is unbearable. I'm heartbroken and miss him terribly. A young life cut short being used for target practice.

I had taken my cat to the woods in back of my house when I heard shots ring out in my direction. I immediately tried to find a path through the dense underbrush to the hayfield. The shooting continued to fade away from me. I called to my cat, but he didn't come -- thought he might have ran back to the house.

I knew he was in trouble when he wasn't home by 7:30 p.m. to be shut in. The woods are very dense, covered with wild rose bushes and thick ground cover. We decided that we would have to section off areas and search systematically in this 90 degree heat. June 20 we searched until 11 p.m. June 21 we searched the woods all morning and afternoon taking short breaks.

I found the cat huddled at the base of a tree at 4:15 p.m. He had been shot. He was very frightened and in a lot of pain. He was covered in fly eggs throughout his long fur from so much blood splatter. He was alive and recognized me. I picked him up and struggled to get through the dense underbrush to the hay field. As I carried him home the cat was whimpering with an occasional scream from the pain. He was looking up into my eyes and I was looking down into his eyes, my heart ached for him. I took him to the veterinarian. The bullet entered his left front shoulder, went through his chest, exited and shattered his right front shoulder. His mangled body was beyond repair. He had to be put down after enduring 23 hours of suffering.

Want to leave your comments?

"Proud" is definitely the right word to describe you, Tom.
How dare someone do something for someone else expecting nothing in return! Why, it's downright un-American!

July 10, 2012 12:05PM

Good for you. Mr. Jankowski! You have done a great job of parenting; transferring positive values to the next generation. What America needs most right now is more “proudful” families and more independent individuals who cherish liberty and freedom; the liberty to choose and the freedom to succeed or fail. Those who offer charitable assistance are good neighbors and should not be disparaged for their endeavors. Those who eagerly anticipate the charity and goodwill of others rather than fend for themselves are one of the main problems dragging our economy from the best in the world down to a socialistic average that is struggling to recover from too much government redistribution of wealth programs. Our government will soon be facing a fiscal reality when there is simply not enough individual wealth left to fund their massive giveaway programs. I look forward to seeing more of your erudite posts.

July 10, 2012 9:09AM

Mrs. Wachtel, I am saddened to hear about your cat. Senseless cruelty. I don't understand the evil heart that could shoot for pleasure with no regard for what he is shooting.